Staying warm

[celtfiddler]

Re: Staying warm

In addition to the above suggestions, something I've found that really helps is to put a gum blanket on top of your blankets to help keep the dampness out.

Re: Staying warm

My somewhat appreciated comment reminded me of something else. Use a reflector on the fire. Basically, just pile some wood on the upwind side and sleep on the other side. It sounds dumb, but it works great.

Make sure you insulate anything touchng the ground. Sometimes even a jacket can be useful. Some of it is experience.

[KathyBradford]

Re: Staying warm

Please consider wearing a sleeping cap. A large percentage of body heat is lost through the head. My husband and sons wear sleeping caps made of wool and lined with cotton. The edge may be unfolded and pulled all the way down over their noses for sleeping (helps warm the air they breathe). The wool outer fabric helps keep the damp night air at bay, and the cotton lining is soft against their skin. When campaigning, they avoid packing any extra ounces, but they do take their caps.

[KarinTimour]

Re: Staying warm

Dear GA Reb:

Much of what I learned about keeping warm when sleeping outside was from reading the several good articles on the old Authentic Campaigner's articles board. I especially remember a very comprehensive list of suggestions from Charles Heath. If anyone has that "keeper" in a form that they could repost, it would be a really valuable addition for people new to the hobby.

there are a lot of important variables you didn't address in your post. Here are some suggestions that I've gleaned from others over the years -- don't know if you are already doing them or not:

Directly on the Ground? Or above the Ground?
Are you sleeping up off the ground (as in on a cot)? The more air you have underneath you, the more likely you are to get cold. One of the most miserable nights I spent in the field was on a cot -- never again.

The goal is to keep you off the ground itself, as Don notes above, but without air (which can rapidly cool) underneath you. Putting at least a ground cloth and a wool blanket under you is one solution. Building a "nest" of leaves, pine needles, etc and then putting your ground cover and one blanket over that is another answer to this question.

Windbreaks?
When soldiers slept on campaign, they would assess the area for potential windbreaks and prevailing winds before deciding on a sleeping place -- can you get out of the wind, behind a rock, tree or under a bush? Could you build a windbreak with logs or deadfall?

Change of clothing?
When you wear clothing during the day you will sweat into it -- at the very least, change into fresh socks just before going to bed. Some will strip down or change underwear as well before going to bed. But wearing the same clothing you wore all day, including your socks, is a recipe for potentially being chilled.

Head covering?
Someone quoted that up to 20% of your body heat is lost through your head -- having a sleeping cap, especially one made of wool, rather than cotton, can make a huge difference in how well you sleep.

Spooning?
Depending on the change in temperature at night, even with all the above, you can still be chilled if you are sleeping alone. Pooling together with several other people will allow you to share body heat as well as blankets.

Internal temperature
Make sure to pee right before going to sleep -- a full bladder can help chill you down. Bill Watson also posted a suggestion of heating a cup of water and drinking that right before going to bed, and I've found it to be a helpful suggestion.

Good luck,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Camp Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

Re: Staying warm

Have you tried keeping your back off the ground? Best thiing I ever tried was to keep my whole back (kidneys up) off the ground,. For real I just lay back on my rucksack andsometimes sit on a goretex jacket, but at an event you might have to get a little creative.

My main problem when in the field is staying warm. I have 2 Keagy-Noble U.S. blankets, and an Anderson Dry Goods quilt and even if I put all of them on I still can't stay warm! I don't know what my problem is, so do any of y'all know a way to stay warm when campaigning?

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